The invention relates to tractor-mounted equipment for clearing trees and shrubs and/or trimming areas of underbrush and shrubs, as well as cutting low-growing tree branches, which work otherwise had to be done by hand.
Recent studies have shown that it is possible to provide grazing areas underneath trees in forests or in fields covered with brush by sowing different kinds of fodder seeds which thrive in the shade. Up to now, clearing of forest and brush-covered areas had to be done by hand, a back-breaking, slow and expensive enterprise. In order to avoid this work, large areas of rain forests are nowadays destroyed by fire, in Brazil and Africa, in order to obtain areable land. However, after a few years the soil becomes sterile, due to lack of suitable fertilizers, forcing the farmer to burn additional parts of the forest and to start sowing again. Especially in tropical climates, fodderplants will thrive in the shade of trees, and it is therefore the main object of the invention to provide equipment suitable for a quick and relatively inexpensive way of clearing the ground underneath the trees and in brush-covered fields and to make it suitable for sowing grass and other growth to be consumed by cattle and other livestock.
On the other hand, it will be convenient to clear pastures and forest areas of undergrowth and shrubs in order to prevent forest and field fires, as well as for the purpose of erecting recreation and camping areas, at low cost, by using mechanical equipment, thereby avoiding back-breaking manual work.
It is another object of the invention to mount this type of equipment on a tractor in such a manner that it can be used alternatively for clearing the ground ahead of the tractor, along its side and, by small adjustment, for clearing a way through a tree or shrub growth by cutting low-growing branches as well. The term "branches" is used in this specification and in the claims to designate the portions of trees, shrubs, bushes, hedges, etc., which are cut by equipment of the present invention.
The present invention is also useful for accomplishing similar cutting, clearing and/or trimming in fields, pasture lands and gardens.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide equipment for the above purposes that can be readily handled and serviced, by only semi-skilled workers.